Embodiments of the present invention relate to a control device for providing a reconfigurable operator interface for a medical apparatus.
The control of various apparatuses is becoming more and more complex, especially in the field of medical applications. New features and functionalities are appearing e.g. for X-ray or other medical purposes. There is a need for controllers, control devices enabling a simple accommodation of these new functionalities, examinations and medical interventions without a complete re-design of the control device.
Another need is connected to the fact that a medical apparatus can be used in various medical applications requiring different control options. An X-ray apparatus used e.g. for cardiography only necessitates a few control actuators, pushbuttons, while the same apparatus needs many control options when used for neurology applications. It is generally known that control devices should be as compact as possible without unused control actuators, as unused control actuators may result in delays and false controls due to uncertainties of the operating person. Furthermore, control actions are often carried out in dark environments, as complicated medical operations are mainly followed on screens. Therefore, operators are not in favor of a ‘universal’ control device accommodating all possible control options and always having some unused control actuators in different locations thereon, depending on the actual application.
It is also known that control devices realized on touch-screens are readily reconfigurable. However, also for the above mentioned reasons, medical applications need hardware control actuators, such as pushbuttons and joysticks. The operating person needs a tactile feedback when a control actuator is actuated.
A further need is to enable the re-assignment of control functions to the control actuators in a dynamic way. For example, left-handed users may prefer to mirror the functionalities of the control device. Control devices can be usually positioned at more than one place around the medical apparatus to be controlled. If the control device is e.g. repositioned on the opposite side of the apparatus, it might be desirable to mirror or change the functionalities of the control device.
Control devices with a reconfigurable hardware were not proposed in the prior art, mainly because no intelligent modules having liquid-tight attachments (being a requirement e.g. in medical applications) were available. Liquid-tight attachments have to be maintained during the entire period of operation in many applications, especially in medical ones.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,337 discloses a vehicle control unit that can be reconfigured according to application needs via an operator input or a specific message on a specific bus interface.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,559,773 B1 discloses a dynamically reconfigurable control display that can reconfigure itself when a new device is added to the system. A computer program enabling the work with the new device is obtained either from a local archive or from a remote one via wireless means.
US 2004/0066374 A1 discloses a configurable keyboard where the display of the keys can be changed according to the keyboard's mapping.
The known solutions do not provide the possibility to change, reconfigure the hardware control actuators of control devices.
Thus, there is a need for a control device eliminating the drawbacks of prior art control devices. There is a particular need for a control device allowing reconfiguration of the hardware control actuators thereon, while maintaining liquid-proof properties usually needed for such applications. There is also a need for a control device that is only enabled if its modules are attached in a liquid-tight or liquid-proof manner.